The present invention relates generally to lids and to containers with lids, particularly lids having implements for use in removing the contents of the container. More particularly, the present invention relates to lids having an integral implement in which the lid is tamper proof or is provided with a means indicating that the lid has been interfered with. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a lid and a container having a lid in which the integrally mounted implement is arranged for rotation between a stored position and an in use position and in which the lid is provided with a tamper proof sealing strip providing a visual indication that the lid has been previously removed or at least disturbed from its original position.
Although the present invention will be described by reference to one form of the lid having an integral implement and a tamper proof sealing strip it is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment but rather the scope of the present invention extends to include other arrangements of the lid and its use in other applications.
It is known to provide many foods such as, snack foods, convenience foods, takeaway foods, ice-cream, yoghurt, preserved fruit salads, meals such as Asian meals, casseroles, and such like, spreads and the like in containers having a bowl or tub portion for containing the contents in which the container is provided with an upper peripheral rim located around the edge of the opening of the container to which is fitted a lid having a cover portion and a peripheral skirt in which the peripheral skirt engages with the upper edge of the peripheral rim to close or seal the container, regardless of the size of the container. However, it is to be noted that the lid and container and lid combination of the present invention is not restricted to food containers but rather finds application in containers for a variety of materials, not just food.
In some instances a sealing sheet or film which is breakable may extend across the opening defined by the upper peripheral rim and in this instance the lid is usually provided for the purpose of protecting the breakable sealing sheet or film in transit or for re-closing or resealing the container after the sealing sheet has been broken where useable contents remain in the container or reuse at a later time.
In many instances it is the desire of a consumer to eat the food within the container by using an implement such as an eating implement such as a spoon, fork, knife, spade, chopsticks or the like. Other forms of the implement include measuring scoops or dosage units for medicines.
It may also be a desire of a consumer to eat such food in a place, say away from home, where such implement is not readily available and this may be inconvenient.
It is accordingly desirable to provide such an implement with the container and its contents, preferably an integral implement.
Another problem with containers, concerns authorised access to the contents of the container particularly containers for foods, in that the containers can be tampered with or otherwise interfered with so that the contents can be contaminated or adulterated. It has been known for extortionists, terrorists, criminals or the like to remove food packages from supermarket shelves, contaminate the contents and return the containers to the shelves with the aim of either injuring members of the public, or obtaining money from the supermarket or food producer or the like. Hence there is a need to provide some indication on the containers that the lid has been removed without authorisation ie that the container has been tampered with.
It is accordingly desirable to provide a container, particularly a container with a lid having an integral implement with a means of indicating whether or not there has been unauthorised access to the contents of the container by providing the container with a tamper resistant or tamper proof arrangement.
The present invention is not confined to containers for foods as many substances are supplied in containers and require for their use or consumption the use of an implement, and/or to know whether the contents have been tampered with.
According to the present invention there is provided a lid for a container which lid comprises:
a cover portion adapted to extend over the container;
an implement adapted for use with contents of the container to assist in removal of the contents from the container; and
a hinge connecting the implement to at least one part of the cover portion or to one part of the lid; wherein the implement is adapted to be rotated about the hinge into a storage position in which the implement lies against or is in close proximity to a part of the cover portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a lid for a container in which the lid comprises:
a cover portion adapted to extend over the container said cover being provided with engaging means for engaging with the container to attach the lid to the container in use;
an implement adapted for use with contents of the container to assist in removal of the contents from the container; and
a hinge connecting the implement to the cover portion;
wherein the implement is adapted to be rotated about the hinge into a storage position in which the implement lies against or in close proximity to the cover portion; and
wherein the lid further comprises means for providing an indication that there has been an unauthorised attempt to remove or interfere withe the lid and/or container.
Typically, the hinge allows the implement to rotate between an extended position in which the implement extends outwardly of the lid or cover portion and the storage position in which the implement is aligned within the cover portion. More typically, the implement is rotatable through an angle of about 180xc2x0 between the extended position and the storage position.
Typically, the implement is detachable from the cover portion at the hinge by a user. More typically, the implement is detachable by rotating the implement in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation from the extended position to the storage position.
Preferably, the hinge comprises at least one frangible tab. More typically, the frangible tab is broken by reverse rotation of the implement.
Typically, the cover portion, the implement and the hinge are formed integrally with each other. More typically, the lid is formed with the integral implement in the or an extended position.
The cover portion further includes retaining means adapted to retain the implement in the storage position. More typically, the retaining means is a clip or a pair of spaced apart bars. Even more typically, the clip is provided on one or more side edges of the implement, particularly for cooperatively engaging with a portion of the cover.
Typically, the cover portion is provided with a recess, preferably, a recess located on the inner surface of the lid in use. More typically, the recess is of a complementary or corresponding shape to the implement.
When the implement is in the storage position, at least a part of the implement may be received in the recess formed in the cover portion. More typically, the edge of the implement cooperatively engages with a side wall of the recess to retain the implement in the recess.
It is preferred that the recess is defined at least in part by a stiffening rib formed in the cover portion.
Where a recess is present in the cover portion, the recess may be adapted to retain the implement in the storage position.
The implement may comprise means whereby a user may grip the implement to unfold the implement from the storage position.
It is preferred, for a lid in any of the above forms, that when the lid is positioned on the container and when the implement is in the storage position, there is defined a cavity between the container and the cover portion and the implement is contained within the cavity.
Preferably, for a lid in any of the above forms, at least one flat panel is formed in the cover portion.
Where a plurality of such flat panels is formed in the cover portion, it is preferred that such flat panels are coplanar with each other and/or with other portions of the cover portion.
Preferably, for a lid in any of the above forms, there is formed on the cover portion a surface adapted to abut an upper peripheral rim of the container or to abut a sealing sheet adhering to such upper peripheral rim in order to assist in attachment of the lid to the container.
Typically, the implement can take a number of different forms. One form of the implement comprises a pair of arcuate arms arranged on either side of the actual implement. Typically the arms are joined together along a fold line at their respective distal ends. More typically, each arm is connected to the stem of the implement adjacent to the hinge connecting the implement to the cover portion. Even more typically, the arms are connected to the stem about respective fold lines so that in use the arms may be respectively rotated in directions towards each other to form a handle for the implement. More typically, the arms are provided with fastening means for securing the two arms to each other. Even more typically, the implement is provided with a fold line located in the stem of the implement so that the distal portion of the implement may be folded upon the proximal portion in order for the implement to be angularly inclined to the arms when secured to each other to form the handle. More typically, the two foldable portions of the implement are provided with complementary fastening means for holding the two portions together.
Typically, the embodiment of the implement having a handle portion and a head portion angularly inclined to each other extends the length of the implement beyond the size or dimensions of the container so that the contents of the container are more accessible to facilitate removal of the contents.
Typically, the lid is provided with engagement means allowing containers to which the lid is attached to be stackable or nestable with respect to each other so that the containers can be stacked one upon the other in an array.
Typically, the lid and/or cover portion is provided with an anti-tamper device or a tamper-resistant or tamper-proof arrangement for providing an indication that there has been unauthorised access to the container, lid, cover portion or the like. In one form, the anti-tamper device or similar is located either in full or in part way around the edge of the lid.
Typically, the lid may further comprise a peripheral skirt adapted to engage with at least a part of an upper peripheral rim of the container.
The peripheral skirt may be integrally formed with the cover portion.
The peripheral skirt may comprise a lip adapted to engage an underside of the upper peripheral rim of the container thereby to secure the lid to the container.
It is preferred that a frangible region is formed in the lid at the junction between the cover portion and the peripheral skirt, so that a user may separate the peripheral skirt from the cover portion along at least a part of the length of the peripheral skirt to assist in gaining access to the contents of the container and/or to remove the lid from the container.
The frangible region may extend along a part only of the junction between the cover portion and the peripheral skirt so that the lid may be removed from the container by separating the peripheral skirt from the cover portion at the frangible region without fully separating the peripheral skirt from the cover portion.
The frangible region may take the form of a groove formed in the cover portion and/or the peripheral skirt.
Alternatively, the frangible region may take the form of a series of slots defining frangible tabs therebetween.
The peripheral skirt may further include a tab adapted to be grasped and pulled by a user to separate the peripheral skirt from the cover portion at the frangible region. If the frangible region has been interfered with, broken, removed or otherwise disturbed, this provides an indication that the container and/or lid has been tampered with.
In a particularly preferred form of the lid, the periphery of the cover portion is of generally rectangular shape with at least one rounded corner, the hinge is at one corner of the cover portion, and the implement is elongate and when in the storage position lies at least approximately along a diagonal of the generally rectangular shape.
Typically, the frangible region does not extend into the region of where the hinge is located so that when the peripheral skirt is separated from the cover portion the area around the hinge remains intact, thus maintaining the implement integrally with the cover portion.
The cover portion and the implement are preferably moulded from a flexible plastics material.
It is particularly preferred that the flexible plastics material is at least substantially transparent.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided, in combination, a container and lid wherein the container comprises at least one tub or bowl portion and has an upper peripheral rim, and wherein the lid is in any of the forms described above. More typically, the peripheral skirt of the lid co-operatively engages with the upper peripheral rim of the container to close or seal the lid to the container.
In such a combination of a container and a lid, the container may further comprise a sealing membrane adhering to the upper peripheral rim of the container. More typically, the sealing membrane is located between the implement and the opening of the container.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a lid for a container comprising moulding the cover portion, implement and hinge integrally with each other, with the implement in a position on completion of such moulding wherein the implement is in a position distinct from the storage position and thereafter rotating the implement about the hinge into the storage position.
Typically, the invention further includes integrally forming the peripheral skirt and frangible region between the skirt and the cover.